Red grapes contain elevated amounts of antioxidant compounds (polyphenols) that may potentially prevent cell aging, cardiovascular disease and oxidation-related disorders. Since functional drinks are presently one of the most dynamic sectors of the market, the present work was aimed at evaluating the possible antioxidant effect of an experimental grape juice in terms of urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (aMT6-s) and total antioxidant capacity in young (20 ± 10 yr-old), middle-aged (45 ± 10 yr-old) and elderly (75 ± 10 yr-old) individuals. Grapes (Vitis vinifera cv. Tempranillo) were de-stemmed, racked and pressed. The juice was subsequently stabilized by high hydrostatic pressure (HHP). Participants consumed 200 mL of grape juice twice a day (as the lunch and dinner desserts) for 5 days. First-void morning urines were collected before treatment (basal values), the day immediately after the last ingestion of juice (assay), and one day afterwards (post-assay). aMT6-s and total antioxidant capacity were quantified using commercial ELISA and colorimetric assay kits, respectively. The intake of grape juice cv. Tempranillo induced a significant increase of urinary aMT6-s and total antioxidant capacity in the three groups of age analyzed as compared to their corresponding basal and post-assay values. These functional/nutraceutical properties may be of interest for a prospective commercialization of the grape juice. The novel technology used for juice stabilization may be suitable for introducing into the market a product with high sensory and nutritional quality, as it has been shown in this study.

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BACKGROUND: The effect of water status and crop level on the volatile composition of Tempranillo wine was investigated over two growing seasons (2010-2011) in Extremadura (Spain). Three water status treatments (T0, Rainfed control; T1, Early regulated deficit irrigation; T2, Late regulated deficit irrigation) were combined with two crop levels treatments (TH, cluster thinning; C, control). thinning was applied (T0-TH). However, ethyl ester and lactones showed higher concentrations in regulated deficit irrigation (T1 and T2) and when cluster thinning was not applied. RESULTS: Crop level treatment had a higher effect on individual volatiles analyzed in Tempranillo wine than water status. The combinations of water status and crop level treatments showed effects on all families of compounds with the exception of acetates and volatile fatty acids. Alcohols, C 6 compounds and phenol volatiles produced the highest concentrations at the lower level of available water and when cluster CONCLUSION:The combined effect of rainfed and cluster-thinning treatments (T0-TH) increased the majority of individual aromatic compounds quantified in Tempranillo wines and also showed the highest total odor activity value.

With the aim of understanding the effects of water stress and cluster load on berry composition and wine quality, a four-year field test was conducted in a cv. Tempranillo vineyard in Extremadura (Spain). When the first berries appeared to be changing colour (onset of véraison), grapevines were subjected to two different irrigation regimes, one supplying 100% of crop evapotranspiration, and the other 25%. In addition, two cluster load levels were tested for each irrigation regime: seven to nine and four to five clusters/m 2 planting area. Both irrigation and thinning had an impact on most of the parameters analysed in the grapes and the wines, although the thinning effect was in general higher than the irrigation effect. Thus, deficit irrigation reduced malic acid and the titratable acidity of Tempranillo grape juice, while cluster thinning increased all parameters analysed, except potassium concentrations. Similarly, the wine composition was also affected differently by irrigation and by cluster thinning. Deficit irrigation reduced pH and increased titratable acidity, total phenol index and colour parameters, while cluster thinning increased alcohol content, anthocyanin and colour intensity, and reduced pH and colour. The effect of the cluster thinning technique was independent of the irrigation regime in most of the wine parameters analysed, except for total phenol index, where the effect of deficit irrigation (DI) was more pronounced in grapevines also subjected to the cluster thinning treatment.